Heater



J. C- M. DUFF Dec. 12, 1950 HEATER Filed Jan. 29, 1948 Jolm CMDufiZ INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 12, 1950 UNITED STATES h'lENT OFFICE HEATER City, N. Y.

Application January 29, 1948, Serial No. 5,077

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in heaters and more particu arly to an improved heater for containers or vessels containing liquids or other substances in which an internal combustion engine provides the source of heat.

In the operation and use of a vehicle it is fre" quently desirable to heat certain foods or drinks for one or more of the occupants, part cularly while on a long trip. Heaters for such liquids and substances have heretofore been proposed which utilized electrical energy from the vehicle battery, or generator, the heat of the engine exhaust and also the heat in the cooling system of the engine. Such prior devices have not found general use for such various reasons as causing an excessive drain upon an already taxed source of electricity, contamination of the food or drink by the exhaust fumes, the inconvenience of its attachment or connection to the heat source or its positioning within or outside of the car. The improved heater of the present invention eliminates these and other objections and inconveniences and is directed to a simple, inexpensive and eliicient heater which is preferably mounted in a convenient but unobtrusive position on the fire-wall or other wall surface of the vehicle.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved heater for liquids or substances which derives its source of heat from the cooling system of a vehicle engine. It is a further object to provide such a heater which is of simple and inexpensive construction, and of a unique and compact form and arrangement which does not interfere with the installation of other accessories of the vehicle or with the space required by the occupants. It is a further object to provide an eflicient heater construction comprising essentially a central cylindrical receptacle surrounded by a casing of greater height than width such that upper and lower water chamberor headers are formed to thereby eliminate internal baffles.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved heater having a sub stantially horizontally disposed heating compartment or receptacle into which a closed vessel containing the material to be heated is inserted to thereby prevent contamination or soiling of its contents. It is a further object to provide a heater having a unique quick-opening closure means which engages and resiliently retains the container within the receptacle. A further object resides in providing a heater which is particularly adapted for the heating of a babys nursing bottle or other container for liquids or food.

(Cl. 126--ll9.5)

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will. become apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the present description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of my improved heater connected to the cooling system of an automobile engine;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged and elevational View of the heater shown in Fig. l

Fig. 3 is a partly sectional view of the same as taken along the lines HIP-III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional Vie as taken along the l nes IVIV of Fig. 3.

Referring now to Fig. l the numeral 6 represents the outline of a Water-cooled automobile engine provided with a radiator l and interconnecting water hose connections 8 and 5. The numeral Ill indicates a preferred form of the present heating device which is shown mounted upon the lire-wall or dash-board of the automobile beneath the instrument panel I2 and above the car floor It. The heater Ill, which is hereafter more fully shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, is provided with inlet and outlet connections which are connected to the cooling water or other coolant system of the engine 6 by the flexible hose or other conduit sections i l and i5 respectively.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and l the heater iii has an inlet it extending through an opening Ila in the fire-wall H and an outlet ll extending through a similar opening in the fire-wall. The heater ii! is formed from a tubular central receptacle is forming an inner wall and a surrounding lozenge or diamond-shaped casing of greater h ight than width forming the outer- Wall of the heater to create a liquid jacket therein. A similarly lozenge-shaped sheet or plate 29 with a central aperture forms the front wall of the heater and a similarly shaped plate 2i forms the rear wall of the device. The plate 25 is provided with a pair of apertures into which the inlet and outlet 15 and ii, respectively, are welded or otherwise attached. The portions l8, Ii), 29 and 2| are preferably formed of suitable metal and are welded, brazed or soldered to each other to provide a Water-tight hot-water heater.

A lozenge-shaped cover plate 22 has a rounded periphery 22c, and a circular central aperture coinciding with the opening in the end of the receptacle l8 and the end plate 2%. The cover plate 22 is also provided with diametrically opposite openings which receive the attachment bolts or rods 23 and 26, which terminate adjacent the cover plate 22 in the hexagonal heads 25 and 26 respectively and at their opposite threaded ends withthe attachment nuts 23a and 24a. The attachment rods 23 and 24 serve to clamp the cover 22 to the heater body and to secure the entire assembly against the fire-wall ll. As may be seen in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 4, the

water space Within the heater forms upper and lower headers 21 and 28, respectively, which are interconnected by relatively restricted passages or spaces at each side of the central tube I81 This arrangement forms a heating device of relatively high efiicienoy with a positive and well distributed flow as indicated by the arrows there'- by insuring a continuous transfer of heat tothe: wall l8 and the central receptacle therein without the necessity of providing expensive internalbaffles. V

The hexagonal head 25 of the rod 23 is provided with radially aligned holes to receive the ends of the wiretfl of the bottle retaining plate 2'9. able diameter, is bent double. with aconverging. pointed portion which is adapted to be snapped over the necked end portion Zfia which forms a knob on the hexagonal head of the fastening rod 2 The terminals of the wire 38 are inwardly turned to form a pivot about which: the wire clip retainer 293i is adapted to be rotated or swung. The numeral 3i nursing bottle which maybe inserted horizontally into the'receptacle IS with the baseor bottom of. the: bottle resting against the end wall 2i. Vfhen filled with cold milk or other fluid to be heated; the bottle is preferably capped with asanitary flat type nipple 32 against. which the plate 2 8? is adapted toresiliently bear against the nipple and the mouth of the bottle to se-- curely hold the same withinv theheater until the contents of the bottle reach the. desired. temperature.

When the heater is" first installed or at periodic intervals thereafter the vent valve 33 should be opened to permit" the air which may be trapped within the heater to escape and to thereby improve the efficienc andoperation of the heater; lhe casing id of the heater may be provided with an insulating jacket indicated by the dotted lines 3d, the front edge of which will be reta'ined and covered by the inwardly turned edge o'fthe' cover'plate 22. Suchan'insulating jacket will improve the device and reduce the amount of heat radiated from the heater into the car, which heat maybe very undesirable in warm weather. Shut-01f valves may be provided to shut the heater down when not required or'to control the amount of heat carried to it by the car" cooling system. If desired the heater may also be provided with a suitable valve by which it may be drained of its contents. The present device can be used to heat the contents of cans or other bottles and is also adapted for installation in long distance busses and other types of motor vehicles. The heated will not interfere with the use of a car heater which may be connected in parallel with the present device. Wherever the term water is used herein it will be understood to include any liquid or coolant, which may also contain such anti-freezeingredients or other improved cooling media used in the cooling systems of vehicle engines; The casing [9 need not be the particular shape which isshown, but may be elliptical or oval" shaped in cross-section, and a rectangular form with rounded corners will also'provide'a satisfactory represents a babys The" wire, which may be music wire of's-uit-- shape which will permit of ready installation on the fire-wall beneath the instruments on the dash.

Other forms and modifications of the present invention, both with respect to the general arrangement and the details of the respective parts, which will become obvious to those skilled in the art are all intended to come within the scope and spirit of the present invention as more fully set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: a

1. A heater structure of the class described comprising a central horizontal tubular receptacle, an outer casing of greater height than width spaced from and enclosing said receptacle on all but a front end thereof, said casing having a rear wall attached in a water-tight relationship to the rear end of said receptacle, said casing having an apertured front Wall, enlarged water chambers formed within said casing by said receptacle above" and below the same with restricted passages on each lateralsid'e of said receptacle, hot water inlet and outlet connections passing through said rear wall into said respective water chambers in a diametrically opposed relationship on opposite side of and above and below said central receptacle arranged for the positive circulation without the necessity of baflling of the hot water from said inlet into said upper chamber through both said restricted passages around said receptacle into said lower chamber to said outlet connection, a supporting wall apertured for said inlet and outlet connections, an apertured cover member having an aperture coincident with the front open end of said receptacle and fastening means extending through said cover member and said supporting wall for clampingl'y retaining said casing and receptacle therebetween in an operative position against said supporting wall.

2. A heater structure of the class described comprising a central horizontal tubular receptacle, anouter casing of greater height than width spaced from and enclosing said receptacleon all'but a front end thereof, said casing having a rear wall attached in a water-tight relationship to the rear end of said receptacle, said casing having an apertured front wall, enlarged water chambers formed within said casing by said receptacle above and below the same with restricted passages on each lateral side of said receptacle, hot water inlet and outlet connections passing through said rear wallinto'said respective water chambers in a' diametrically'opposed relationship onopposite sides of and above and below said central receptacle arranged for the positive circulation without the necessity of baffling of the hot water from said inletinto said upper chamber through both' said restricted passages around said receptacleinto said lower chamber to said outlet connection, a supporting wall apertured for' said inlet and outlet connections, an apertured cover member disposed against the front end of said casing having an aperture arranged to provide access to the open front end of said receptacle, elongated headed fastening means extending through apertures in said covered member and supporting wall for clampingly retaining said casing and receptacle therebetween in an operative position against said supporting wall" and resilient means pivotally engaging a head portion of a first of said retaining means and releasably engaging a head portion of a second of said" retaining means for releasably holding an object to be heated within said receptacle.

3. A heater comprising: a central horizontal cylindrical receptacle; an outer casing of greater height than width spaced from and enclosing said receptacle; front and back end walls attached in a water-tight relationship to the ends of said re ceptacle and said casing, water chambers formed above and below said receptacle within said casing with restricted passages on each lateral side of said receptacle; and water inlet and outlet connections communicating with said water chambers arranged in a diametrically opposed relationship on opposite sides above and below said central receptacle for the positive circulation of hot water within said casing from a first said water chamber through both said restricted passages about said receptacle and into said second chamber, a supporting wall apertured for said inlet and outlet connections, an apertured cover member having an aperture coincident with the front open end of said receptacle and fastening means extending through said cover member and said supporting wall for clampingly retaining said casing and receptacle therebetween in an operative position against said supporting wall.

4. A heater comprising: a central horizontal cylindrical receptacle; an outer casing of greater height than width spaced from and enclosing said receptacle; front and back end walls attached in a water-tight relationship to the ends of said receptacle and said casing, water chambers formed above and below said receptacle within said casing with restricted passages on each lateral side of said receptacle; and water inlet and outlet connections communicating with said water chambers arranged in a diametrically opposed relationship on opposite sides above and below said central receptacle for the positive circulation of hot water within said casing from a first said water chamber through both said restricted passages about said receptacle and into said second chamber, a supporting wall apertured for said inlet and outlet connections, an apertured cover member having an aperture coincident with the front open end of said receptacle, fastening means extending through said cover member and said supporting wall for clampingly retaining said casing and receptacle therebetween in an operative position against said supporting wall and resilient means pivotally engaging a head portion of a first of said retaining means and releasably engaging a head portion of a second of said retaining means for releasably holding an object to be heated within said receptacle.

JOHN C. M. DUFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Feb. 3, 1927 

